Drainage Outlet for Installation in a Floor Opening of a Shower Stall

ABSTRACT

A drainage outlet for installation in a floor opening of a shower stall. The drainage outlet includes an inlet part to be inserted in the floor opening that has an inlet opening open toward the top, into which a cover element is inserted, the height of which, inside the inlet opening, can be adjusted, and which covers the inlet opening while exposing at least one level opening. The cover element is rigidly connected, at the underside thereof, to a plurality of threaded sleeves, each having an internal thread. Threaded bushings, each having an external thread and interior cavity, are screwed adjustably over the partial lengths thereof into the internal threads of the threaded sleeves, the threaded bushings protruding downwardly from the threaded sleeves. The inlet part is provided with positioning pins, over which the interior cavities of the threaded bushings extend. A threaded sleeve, a threaded bushing, and a positioning pin together form an adjustment element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority to German Utility modelNo. 20 2010 007 534.3, which was filed on Jun. 2, 2010, and which isincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a drainage outlet for installation in a flooropening of a shower stall, comprising an inlet part to be inserted inthe floor opening that has an inlet opening open toward the top, intowhich a cover element is inserted, the height of which can be adjustedwith respect to the inlet opening, and which covers the inlet openingwhile exposing at least one level opening.

A height-adjustable inlet grate is known from EP 1 782 721 (FIG. 8).

An aspect of the invention is to allow for adjustment of the coverelement with respect to the floor opening and the inlet part, so that awide variety of construction heights can be easily considered, allowingfor height adjustment using just a few parts, which iseasy-to-understand and moreover re-adjustable, and which prevents theinlet part from shifting.

The aspect is achieved by a height-adjustable drainage outlet having thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   the cover element is rigidly connected, at the underside        thereof, to a plurality of threaded sleeves, each having an        internal thread;    -   threaded bushings, each having an external thread and interior        cavity, are screwed adjustably over the partial lengths thereof        into the internal threads of the threaded sleeves, the threaded        bushings protruding downwardly beyond the threaded sleeves,    -   the inlet part is provided with positioning pins, over which the        interior cavities of the threaded bushings extend.

Hereinafter, a threaded sleeve, a threaded bushing, and a positioningpin together form an adjustment element.

The positioning pins can be connected, for example, to a flange rim ofthe inlet part. Metals are particularly suitable materials for thepositioning pins, however it is also possible to use synthetic parts.

The cover element can be constructed, for example, as a grate havingareal openings, or as a closed cover element having an angled edgeflange, wherein the outlet water drains between the edge flange andsurrounding parts.

The positioning pin preferably has a cylindrically rounded configurationand is tapered toward the top in the tip region, so that no tilting canoccur when it is pulled up, for example for readjustment.

It is particularly advantageous to associate the cover element withremovable threaded bushings that can be selected according to thelengths thereof. For example, a kit may be supplied, which, withoutsignificantly increasing costs, contains two or more threaded bushingsso as to create greater latitude for the required increase in height.

The threaded bushing can additionally be locked with a nut.

In the case of a round inlet opening, at least three or four adjustmentelements are disposed peripherally on the insert part in a radiallysymmetrical manner.

The embodiment can also be employed for an inlet opening in the shape ofa longitudinal channel having a U-shaped channel-like inlet part that isprovided with a bottom, wherein at least two adjustment elements connectthe bottom of the inlet part to the upper part of the elongated coverelement or of the channel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more readily understood from the detaileddescription of embodiments thereof made in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a round outlet provided with fouradjustment elements;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a round cover element comprising theadjustment elements;

FIGS. 3 a to 3 c show possible adjustments, in the sectional viewaccording to FIG. 1 (detail C); and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an adjustment element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the presentinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elementsthroughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the presentinvention by referring to the figures.

The terms “top” and “bottom” used hereinafter are defined by theconventional arrangement of an inlet in the illustration of the showeroutlet that is shown, which is to say with the cover element at the“top” and the inlet opening at the “bottom”. However, it should be notedthat the parts of the adjustment element described hereafter may also bedisposed in reverse order from “bottom to top”.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of an embodiment of a drainage outlet 100for installation in a floor opening 4 of a shower stall.

The drainage outlet 100 is always kept open. An inlet part 1 is recessedin the floor opening 4 and rests with the flange collar 2 on the widenedupper edge of a pipe socket 3, in which an odor trap 40 and a lateraloutlet pipe (not shown) are located. The part of the drainage outlet 100located beneath the floor opening 4 does not form part of the inventionand may therefore also be designed in a different manner.

Above the flange rim 2, a cover element 5 is inserted in the steppedfloor opening 4. In the present case, the cover element is configured inthe shape of a round disk and provided with a flange rim 5.1. However,it is also possible to configure such a cover element as a grate, whichends in a planar manner at the rim. In both cases, a “level opening” 6is obtained, into which the water can flow and drain downward.

Oval, rectangular or polygonal cover element units can also beaccordingly provided with an adjustment device described hereinafter.

Four adjustment elements 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4, by which the height ofthe cover element 5 can be adjusted with respect to the flange collar 2,are connected to the upper side of the flange rim 2 of the inlet part 1.As is shown in the sectional view according to FIG. 4, a plurality ofpositioning pins 8 are fastened in an upwardly extending manner on aflange collar 2, for example by way of welding or bonding. Thepositioning pins 8 are made of brass or other corrosion-resistantmaterials and are configured in a tapered manner toward the top; theyare smooth on the outside.

The opposing underside 5.2 of the cover element 5 is provided with fourthreaded sleeves 9 comprising internal threads 9.1. The threaded sleeve9 has a height of h₁. A threaded bushing 10 comprising an externalthread 10.2 and interior cavity 10.1 is screwed over part of the lengththereof into the internal thread 9.1 of the threaded sleeve 9. Thethreaded bushing 10 has a length of l₁≧h₁ and thus protrudes downwardbeyond the threaded sleeve 9, even if screwed in partially.

The interior cavity 10.1 of the partially screwed-in threaded bushing 10is pushed over a positioning pin 8 until the lower edge of the threadedbushing 10 abuts the flange collar 2. This establishes the height of thecover element 5 with respect to the inlet part 1. To lock the positionof the threaded bushing 10 with respect to the threaded sleeve 9, a nut11 can further be screwed onto the threaded bushing 10. For thispurpose, fixable nuts are preferably selected.

The cover element 5 can be lifted out of the floor opening 4 as needed,in particular to clean the drainage outlet. It is also easily possibleto readjust the height. Lifting off the cover element is facilitated,because tilting with respect to the positioning pin 8 is prevented bythe design.

FIGS. 3 a to 3 c schematically illustrate a detail C according to FIG. 1at different height adjustments. Using threaded bushings 10, and notablythreaded bushings 10 having different lengths, it is possible to setmultiple height and distance ranges between the cover element 5 andinlet part 1. Continuous adjustment is possible.

FIG. 3 a shows that the threaded sleeve 9 can be pushed onto thepositioning pin 8 with the threaded bushing completely screwed in. Thisapplies, for example, with a standard distance from the flange 2 to theunderside 5.1 of 15 mm, for example. In the embodiment according to FIG.3 b, a threaded bushing 10 having a length of 14 mm is screwed in, sothat a total distance range of approximately 15 to 25 mm is covered inthis case.

If instead of the threaded bushing having a length of 14 mm, onemeasuring 22 mm is used (FIG. 3 c), an adjustment range of 25 to 37 mmis obtained.

Depending on the requirements, it is also possible to select additionalthreaded bushings, or those having other dimensions.

In the overall, this facilitates the use of cover elements havingvarying heights with respect to the inlet part, in keeping with thefloor and outlet configuration. To this end, the solution according tothe invention can be employed both for round and elongated-channelshaped drainage outlets.

Although selected embodiment(s) of the present invention has/have beenshown and described, it is to be understood the present invention is notlimited to the described embodiment(s). Instead, it is to be appreciatedthat changes may be made to this/these embodiment(s) without departingfrom the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which isdefined by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

1. A drainage outlet (100) for installation in a floor opening (4) of ashower stall, comprising an inlet part (1) to be inserted in the flooropening that has an inlet opening open toward the top, into which acover element is inserted, the height of which, inside the inletopening, can be adjusted, and which covers the inlet opening whileexposing at least one level opening, characterized in that the coverelement (5) is rigidly connected, at the underside thereof, to aplurality of threaded sleeves (9), each having an internal thread (9.1);threaded bushings (10), each having an external thread (10.2) andinterior cavity (10.1), are screwed adjustably over the partial lengthsthereof into the internal threads (9.1) of the threaded sleeves (9), thethreaded bushings protruding downwardly from the threaded sleeves (9),and the inlet part is provided with positioning pins (8), over which theinterior cavities (10.1) of the threaded bushings extend, wherein athreaded sleeve (9), a threaded bushing (10), and a positioning pin (8)together form an adjustment element (7).
 2. The drainage outletaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning pins (8) areconnected to a flange rim (2) of the inlet part (1).
 3. The drainageoutlet according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover element (5)is provided at least partially with an angled edge flange.
 4. A drainageoutlet according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning pins(8) have a cylindrically rounded configuration and are tapered towardthe top, but the threaded bushings (10) extend thereover without play.5. A drainage outlet according to claim 1, characterized in that thecover element (5) with the threaded sleeve (9) is associated withremovable threaded bushings (10) that can be selected according to thelengths thereof.
 6. A drainage outlet according to claim 1,characterized in that, in the case of a round inlet opening, at leastthree adjustment elements (7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4) are disposed peripherallyon the inlet part (1) in a radially symmetrical manner.
 7. A drainageoutlet according to claim 1, characterized in that, with an inletopening in the shape of a longitudinal channel having a U-shapedchannel-like inlet part that is provided with a bottom, at least twoadjustment elements (7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4) connect the bottom of the inletpart (1) to the underside of the elongated cover element (5).
 8. Adrainage outlet for installation in a floor opening of a shower stall,comprising an inlet part that is insertable into the floor opening thathas an inlet opening open toward the top, into which a cover element isinserted, the height of which, inside the inlet opening, can beadjusted, and which covers the inlet opening while exposing at least onelevel opening, wherein the cover element is rigidly connected, at theunderside thereof, to a plurality of threaded sleeves each of which hasan internal thread, wherein threaded bushings, each of which has anexternal thread and interior cavity, are screwed adjustably over partiallengths thereof into the internal threads of the threaded sleeves sothat the threaded bushings protrude downwardly from the threadedsleeves, wherein the inlet part includes positioning pins over which theinterior cavities of the threaded bushings extend, and wherein one ofthe threaded sleeves, the threaded bushings, and the positioning pinstogether form an adjustment element.